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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27581102">Under the stars</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jewels__20/pseuds/Jewels__20'>Jewels__20</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Archie Comics &amp; Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Acceptance, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Betty Cooper Deserves Better, Betty Cooper Needs a Hug, Dark, Dark Betty Cooper, Drama, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Archie Andrews, Kissing, Love, Protective Archie Andrews, Romance, Sad, Sad and Happy, Sad with a Happy Ending, Self-Acceptance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:01:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,258</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27581102</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jewels__20/pseuds/Jewels__20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Can Betty and Archie navigate the pain Riverdale has caused them?<br/>Maybe a night away from Riverdale together is just what they need.</p><p>---</p><p>“So where are we going?” Betty whispered.</p><p>“Anywhere,” Archie replied.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Archie Andrews &amp; Betty Cooper, Archie Andrews &amp; Betty Cooper &amp; Jughead Jones, Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper, Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper fanfictions, Betty Deserves Better</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Under the stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>My second ever fanfic! It won't be too long, only a chapter or two. It was inspired by a special twitter hashtag my friends and I came up with... but I won't spoil. </p><p>For the record I purposefully don't specify when this is (beyond being past the time jump) or what is happening because I want it to feel as if it could be canon. Let's just assume a new ridiculous and crazy plot is occurring in Riverdale ha, and Betty and Archie are canon together at this point.</p><p>I wanted to portray what I want from Betty and Archie's relationship. Balance. I wanted to show the complexity and balance I believe barchie could have. </p><p>An understanding that's *shown* not simply told. I want to see them help one another and sort *through* their trauma rather than brushing over it and simply having fluff with no dynamics. I didn't want to slander bughead, but I did want to subtly show and explain why barchie can be better (hence lot's of references/parallels to bughead and past seasons if you can catch them). And as painful as the first half of this was to write, I wanted to show how Betty and Archie could handle and work through conflict and understand one another. </p><p>Hope if you read it you have feels the way I do! And please comment!!! Reading thoughts or knowing anyone enjoys my writing would meant the world to me because I don't write often and have never really posted my writing... </p><p>- Julia &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1</p><p>Betty jammed the key into the lock of the front door, her mind going a hundred miles a minute. She cursed under her breath as she struggled with the lock. She could feel Archie watching her cautiously after what they’d just found out. She’d ignored his concerned glances from the driver’s seat on the silent ride home. Just as he shifted towards her as if to speak, the door finally cracked open and Betty pushed through, letting it swing violently behind her as she walked into the living room.</p><p>She heard Archie close the door and walk towards her despite having turned her back. Betty faced the empty fireplace, simmering in her rage.</p><p>“Betty,” he said gently.</p><p>“No.” Betty stopped him firmly with her tone.</p><p>He didn’t say anything and she stayed with her back to him. It was Riverdale. She should have expected it. She should have been prepared, and yet anytime darkness reared its head and loomed over their town it hit her as if for the first time. </p><p>Betty was sick of it. </p><p>She was tired of feeling helpless, of digging up detail after detail in mystery after mystery. She’d always loved a good mystery, putting together the pieces, little Betty’s hours spent reading Nancy Drew with a flashlight late at night when she was supposed to be asleep. But it was different when the mystery was her life. Ongoing with no end, and with no final puzzle piece. Betty was angry. Enraged that this was her life and she was helpless to fix any of it. What she would give now to put aside the mystery story for a good night’s sleep. </p><p>Angry tears streamed down her cheeks and she fought to feel some semblance of control.</p><p>A warm hand gently pried her fists open. </p><p>She hadn’t even noticed her fingers curling in, the bite of her nails in her skin. A habit she had apparently couldn’t shake even as an adult, even when she thought she’d gotten better. She almost laughed at the idea that she’d even believed she could be better. When had she ever been in control in Riverdale? When were things ever better in Riverdale?</p><p>Archie’s fingers lingered and he tried to hold her hand but she tore it from his grasp and avoided looking at him. It wasn’t him she was angry with, she knew that. It was this town. But him being there, good, supportive, and calm made her want to scream. She knew he could make her feel better, that just looking at him would make her feel more at peace, that his touch would calm her down, that she would feel at home in his arms. But it was a bandaid she didn’t want. Betty wanted to embrace the anger. She had the right to be this angry after all the town had thrown at them. They couldn’t catch a single break. </p><p>“Betty come on, talk to me.” Archie pleaded.</p><p>Betty shook her head, aware that she was about to either fall apart or lash out. After a pause she couldn’t help but speak. “How are you not mad?” She demanded, turning to face him.</p><p>Archie’s brows furrowed, “Betty of course I’m mad. But there’s nothing we can do.” She could hear her own frustration mirrored in his voice. </p><p>“Exactly!” Betty exclaimed. “There’s nothing we can do. Bad things keep happening, they always have. And no matter how hard we try we can never do anything about it.” </p><p>He reached out to her and she recoiled again. “No! I don’t want you to comfort me and pretend it’s going to be ok.” She could feel the tears of frustration running down her face but was too overwhelmed to bother wiping them away. “It’s not ok.” </p><p>“Of course it’s not ok. I’m just as tired of this town as you are. I’m just as angry!” He took a step towards her, his voice losing its edge at his next words. “But I don’t want to see you this way.” </p><p>Betty felt herself softening, felt herself breaking at him caring more about how she felt than the situation at hand and himself, at him staying calm for her — she rejected the feelings violently. She felt herself diving hastily into the blanket of darkness inside of her, holding onto her anger rather than caving to the myriad of emotions in her field of vision. “Well too bad! I want to be pretend things are fine. We deserve to be angry.”</p><p>“Betty —” he begged, reaching towards her. She took another step back.</p><p>“This is how I feel right now Archie. You can’t make this better, you can’t fix it.” </p><p>His eyes still held so much concern and love and Betty hated it. The dark monster inside of her wanted to stomp out his useless kindness, she wanted him to be as angry as her, she wanted to tear apart the false ridiculous feeling he gave her that things could be ok. Archie’s offer of comfort set ablaze her rage, fiery red clouding her vision.</p><p>”I get that you like to fix things. I get that you want to fix me and make me feel happy and good.” Her voice was steely, despite a small hysterical laugh escaping her lips. The anger washed over her in waves. “You want me to be ‘perfect Betty’ but I’m not.” She spat the words. “This is who this town has made me. This anger and this darkness are who I am. And I’m tired of pretending otherwise.” </p><p>Archie shook his head vehemently. “Betty, stop. You can’t tear yourself up over this. This isn’t you. We can’t let this town turn us into people we’re not. We can’t let it win.” </p><p>Betty wanted to scream at his faith in her, at his optimism. She wanted him to be as enraged as her, to realise there was no hope, to realise they would always be what this town had made them. The darkness inside of her settled and as if from a distance she heard herself speak. “You know, at least Jughead never tried to fix me or pretend things were ok. He understood reality, and who I really was and accepted me for it.” </p><p>She held eye contact and watched as the warmth in his eyes turned to pain, she felt her heart drop. But she was too far gone in her anger to deal with it. She brushed past him and ran upstairs. </p><p>~—~—~—~—~—~</p><p>Betty had been nauseous for hours and her head was dizzy from crying. She’d heard Archie leave the house and didn't blame him. Saying she’d gone too far would be an understatement. She’d known she was on the edge at the start of the conversation and she hadn't just let herself fall, she’d dived off the edge. She’d dived so fast she couldn’t even track how the conversation had taken such a sharp turn. She’d been so intent on avoiding this feeling, tired of crying and being hurt. Betty had learned long ago that anger was easier to hone, aggression and violence were easier for her, focussing on one strong emotion. She hated that about herself. She hated that giving in to the darkness and anger was an instinct, lashing out like a wounded animal and convincing herself that her worst thoughts were the truth, rather than thinking about her true feelings. Choosing Archie was the first time she’d ever overcome that kind of denial and sorted through her feelings to be honest with herself. </p><p>She heard the creak of the front door downstairs and sat up. She felt nauseous with the idea of facing him, she’d been horrible. She knew she deserved the pit in her stomach. But he deserved an apology. </p><p>Betty padded down the stairs slowly only to find Archie on the first step about to walk up. She faltered in her steps, finding it hard even to hold eye contact, the guilt so visceral.</p><p>“Can we talk?” She asked quietly.</p><p>He nodded and backed up so she could walk down the stairs. She didn’t dare touch him, she didn’t deserve to right now. She made her way to the couch and sat. Archie followed suit, sitting down beside her.</p><p>Her mind and body, everything, felt heavy and she struggled to find any words that were enough. </p><p>“Arch, I’m so sorry.” It was all she could think of to say. She couldn’t even look at him, playing with her fingers in her lap, feeling the tears well in her eyes again, her lip quivering as she tried to speak. “I don’t have any reasons. I don’t know why I said it, it’s not true. You know me better than anyone, and you accept me for it. I was horrible. I am horrible, I —”</p><p>She was stopped by his hand brushing over hers. She looked up and through her tears could see him shaking his head. His other hand reached to her cheek, his fingers gently brushing away her tears. “It’s ok,” Archie said softly.</p><p>Betty was already shaking her head. “No. No it’s not. It’s never going to be ok that I said something like that to you.”</p><p>“You were upset. I got caught in the Betty Cooper crossfire.” </p><p>“Stop being so understanding.” Betty said, a laugh escaping her lips, she was only half joking, he had no right being this kind when she’d been such a bitch.</p><p>Archie smirked, leaning in and kissing her forehead before resting his forehead against hers. Both of his hands cradled hers, calming strokes of his thumbs on the backs of her hands. </p><p>“You know I didn’t mean it right?” Betty asked softly. She leaned back so she could look in his eyes, needing to know that he didn’t believe any of what she’d said. </p><p>He nodded. But she wasn’t satisfied. “It’s not even something that passes through my mind ok?”</p><p>Archie hesitated, “Betty, I know what you had with Jughead was special. I know that you guys got each other and were mentally in sync and that we have something different. That’s ok.” </p><p>“No.” She said with conviction. “Jughead and I were able to open up with each other and we had interests in common.” She paused, searching for the right words to explain how different it was with Archie, how much more. “But you and I are special Arch. You understand me like no one ever has. You understand me even when I don’t want you to, you balance me when I don’t think it’s possible to feel balanced. It scares me how easily you can see through me. I can't pretend with you. You don’t let me.” She was gripping his hands now, eyes searching his to make sure he understood. </p><p>A soft smile graced his lips as he nodded ever so slightly, and despite the tears still in her eyes Betty smiled too.</p><p>“I love you Arch,” she whispered.</p><p>Archie leaned in, his lips soft against hers as he kissed her. When he pulled away she finally felt like she could breathe again. </p><p>She wasn’t sure she deserved forgiveness, but so long as Archie understood the words held no meaning, that they’d been contrived with the sole purpose of lashing out, then she was ok with that and would make it up to him. And the words were meaningless, it shocked her that she’d brought up her first relationship, in fact she knew it had been solely to hurt him. She rarely thought back to being with Jughead, and if she ever did it was with fond memories of high school and firsts. Being with Archie was different. Somehow he knew how to get through to her, he'd known her growing up and he still knew her now, he knew her at her best and worst, and he accepted who she truly was through it all. Their love transcended intellect or comfort. Betty felt seen and understood with Archie. She felt safest and most herself with him. </p><p>She smiled as he wiped away any remaining tears from her cheeks. The corners of his lips lifted in return and all Betty could think about was how beautiful he was. In only the firelight and the fading twilight sky his features were shadowed and accentuated, his red hair messy, his warm smile just for her. She leaned in and kissed him again, slowly and then deepened the kiss, she reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. Archie’s hands had drifted down and his fingers pressed into the small of her back pulling her closer. She obliged, moving onto his lap and straddling his waist. Archie pulled away.</p><p>“Betty,” he said.</p><p>Betty closed the space between them again, effectively stopping him from speaking. But she could feel Archie laughing as he pulled away again.</p><p>Confusion came over her, she and Archie weren’t exactly the type to stop once they started. </p><p>“We have to get going.” He said.</p><p>“Going?” Betty questioned. </p><p>“Yes going.” Archie grinned.</p><p>“Archie what are you talking about?” </p><p>“We’re going to get out of Riverdale.” </p><p>Betty’s stomach dropped, remembering everything from earlier that evening. “Archie we can't just leave.”</p><p>He shook his head. “Just for a few hours Betty. Just for the night.”</p><p>She didn’t say anything, it seemed reckless, to just leave even for a night with everything going on. Archie seemed to be taking in the pensive look on her face as he shifted her out of his lap.</p><p>“Betty there’s nothing we can do right now. Nothing except worry. And that’s not going to help right now.”</p><p>“We could start trying to figure it out, we could —”</p><p>Archie cut her off. “There is nothing we can do right now. And even if we could Betty, you can’t.” </p><p>Betty’s eyes narrowed and she got ready to defend her stance, but he kept going. “You’re Betty Cooper, you can do anything you put your mind to. And when you’re determined to do something you somehow always do it. But you also don’t know your own limits. You push forwards without thinking of yourself. And as amazing as your mind is,” he reached up with both hands and cupped her face. “You do need to take care of the person it belongs to.” </p><p>Betty felt tears pricking at her eyes for the millionth time that day. She’d never considered herself a crier but apparently feelings for Archie Andrews were the exception. </p><p>“It hurts me to see you hurting.” His eyes were loving but serious, as though actually in pain at the thought of her pain. “I don’t want you to feel the way you did earlier Betty.” </p><p>His eyes searched hers, but she took a moment to respond. She could feel her eyes burning and tried to breathe so she could speak without bursting into tears.</p><p>“Neither do I.” She hesitated. Her mind flashed back to years ago, when the thought had first crossed her mind that maybe evil was her birthright, that it had been passed onto her. Jughead had asked her to trust him, that he knew she was good. And yet from there Riverdale had only gotten darker, Betty became the worst versions of herself. Betty remembered the aggression, the stress, the consuming persistence to figure everything out, to find reasons for the horrors of her town. In the process of thinking she was finding herself, she’d lost pieces of who she was. </p><p>Betty trusted Archie, and he’d seen her at her darkest, trusted her blindly when even she thought she might have killed Jughead. Archie had believed in her despite knowing her grandfather’s sins and all that her father had done. But they’d never talked about it beyond acknowledging how wicked their little town was, they hadn’t needed to. Archie knew Betty and she knew him, the good and the bad. With Archie, Betty felt more centred and at peace. She felt more in control and closer to who she wanted to be with Archie. But today that darkness had reared its head and she couldn’t pretend that Archie’s goodness could protect her from the evil inside of her. </p><p>She was silent for long enough that  Archie gently took her hands. He flipped over her palms and Betty felt exposed. She and Archie had never spoken about her self harm before, she was shocked when he’d noticed earlier. Just another moment of Archie surprising her, noticing whatever she was trying to hide without her realising it. Respecting her enough to wait until the right moment to bring it up. His fingers trailed lightly over the scars and the raw crescents from where her nails had broken through her skin earlier.</p><p>She watched as his jaw clenched, his eyes shone, as though seeing her hurt physically pained him.</p><p>“I know you feel like there’s a darkness in you. But it’s not your father’s darkness Betty.” </p><p>His eyes met hers and she could barely take in a proper breathe without feeling like she was going to sob, let alone think to speak. </p><p>“Your darkness isn’t evil. It’s grief, it’s pain, it’s anger. And you have to let yourself feel. You have to give yourself time to heal so that it doesn’t define you.” </p><p>“But what if it is evil.” the words escaped Betty’s lips in a broken whisper.</p><p>Archie was already shaking his head. “You are not evil Betty. And not because I say so, because you choose to be good. Having darkness doesn’t make you evil. We all have darkness inside of us Betty, some more than others. But it’s how we handle it. How we define ourselves is what matters.” He said it gently, but with such certainty. </p><p>Betty thought to all of the times she’d given in. All of the times she’d thought embracing the darkness was the only way. All of the self loathing she’d felt and the way she’d questioned who she even was anymore. But Archie made her want to be good, she felt like herself around him. Not perfect, but balanced. She didn’t just trust him, she trusted herself more around him. </p><p>Betty finally breathed. She felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her chest. “When did you get so wise?” she asked softly. She’d always know Archie was smart, even when he hadn’t known it himself, even when he’d never been book-smart. He’d always been passionate with his words, but this intuitiveness and ability to talk it through out loud was new to her.</p><p>Archie swallowed and she could see a shadow pass over his eyes even as he forced a smile. “I don’t know. I guess we all come out the other side of facing our demons as different people.</p><p>Betty hated the shadows in his eyes, remembering that Archie had also been put through the ringer by this town, the mark Grundy had left at such a young age. His father being shot by hers. The manipulation and abuse Hiram had put him through. His father’s actual death after all of that. His years in the army that he could barely speak about. And yet he’d come out of it all a good person, a better person. Archie was a man with a good heart, still intent on making the world a better place.</p><p>“So where are we going?” Betty whispered.</p><p>His smile lit up her heart. The boyish excitement in his eyes amidst his handsome features really were the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. Betty’s lips subconsciously turned up into a smile of their own.</p><p>“Anywhere,” Archie replied.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Again, please comment! I really hope if you made it through you enjoyed!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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